We’re almost surprised it took this long for someone to have the bright idea to bring a Harry Potter story to the stage, but the shadow of the movies looms large. Still, as announced by J.K. Rowling back in 2013, a Potter-based play, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, is now set to open in London next year.
Although it takes place in the years before Harry got wind of his special destiny, Rowling has said the new stage production, which she has collaborated on with writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, is not a direct prequel. “What was it like to be the boy in the cupboard under the stairs? This brand new play, which will be developed for the UK theatre, will explore the previously untold story of Harry’s early years as an orphan and outcast,” says Rowling’s site. “Featuring some of our favourite characters from the Harry Potter books, this new work will offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom Destiny has plans.”
The story also reportedly includes more about Harry’s parents, Lily and James, and Rowling got ahead of anyone wondering why she hasn’t put it into a new book. “To answer one inevitable (and reasonable!) question — why isn’t #CursedChild a new novel? — I am confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it was the only proper medium for the story.”
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child will open at the Palace Theatre next summer, and you can sign up for ticket alerts here.